Fruit-crate.



E. B. WILLIAMS.-

FRUIT CRATE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1211914.

Patent-ed Nov. 16, 191.

. L Tit inn ream-ere.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. dd, tall-5.,

Application filed October 12, 191 4. Serial No. 866,212.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that T, EUGENE lB. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit Crates; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in crates for packing fruit and particularly grapes for shipping purposes, the object of the invention being to produce a crate which can be filled and packed in the field and which may be of such structure as to fully ventilate the fruit during the shipping period to prevent its spoiling and also to provide a crate which can be used for attractively displaying the fruit without unpacking the same from the crate.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly efi'ective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects, ll accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangements of the parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

On the drawings, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure l is a perspective view of the crate as it appears when packed with fruit. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the upper portion of the crate removed and illustrating the display facilities of the crate.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the end boards of the crate which are provided with a transverse slot 2 cut into the same at a point near the upper end leaving the upper portion of said end boards, as at 1, connected with the lower portion merely by small shanks3.

The numeral 4 designates the bottom board and the numeral 5 the top board and the numeral 6 side cleats secured to the end boards 2 and spaced apart as shown, the last upper cleats being secured to the upper portions 1 above the plane of the slots 2.

In practice, the top board 5 is very much thinner than the bottom board 4 and hasa certain amount of spring or resiliency. Tn packing the crate, ll first nail the top board 5 into position on the end boards l'by means of the usual cleats 7, leaving off the bottom board 4. The grapes are then packed first into the top of the box against the top board 5. To prevent the-grapes from bruising against the top board 5, ll first dispose a layer of leaves against said board and then pack said grapes against said leaves and at various points as the grapes are packed, more leaves may be put between them for the same purpose. When the grapes are packed into the box in a quantity as desired, the bottom board 4 is then nailed into position. This bottom board is stiff and less flexible than the top board and forces the grapes solidly into the box while the springiness or resiliency of the board 5 allows it to swell outwardly, or to use the common expression belly up as shown in Fig. 1. In this way, a solid packing is assured and the grapes are held firmly in the crate. The crate itself islong and slender v and by having the side cleats thus spaced apart as shown, perfect ventilation is given the fruit to prevent its spoiling, and also by packing the same solidly in the manner set forth, the crates may be piled on their sides for shipping purposes in the refrigerator cars, which is a feature no other commonly used crate is susceptible of and which saves the bruising of the fruit which occurs with ordinary crates when piled one on top of the other in the ordinary manner since the bottom of one crate will crush down the protruding or belly up portion of the crate on which it rests. When the fruit has reached its destination and is to be displayed, the top portions 1 and the top board 5, together with the top cleats 6, may be readily removed by striking the top boards 1 with any suitable instrument in such a manner as to crack the shanks 3 allowing of the removal of the entire top of the crate and leaving a quantity of grapes projecting upwardly from the top edge of the crate in an admirable display, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, T have provided a crate which can be packed solidly; can be easily ventilated; can be shipped in such a manner as to prevent the bruising of the fruit, and which can be readily opened and afford a splendid display of the fruit.

It will further be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantiall fulfils the objects of the invention as set orth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice, such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.- Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A crate comprising end, bottom and top boards, side cleats secured to said end boards in spaced relation, said end boards being provided with transverse slots forming an upper and lower portion connected by shanks, the top cleats being secured to the upper portions above the plane of said slots, as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EUGENE B. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN N. BLEWETT, FLOYD M. BLANGHARD. 

